Nest architecture of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex rugosus rugosus

The prominent nests mounds of many ant species are one of the most obvious signs of their presence, yet the subterranean architecture of nests is often poorly known. The present work aimed to establish the external and internal structure of nests of a species of leaf-cutting ant, Acromyrmex rugosus rugosus, by either marking the interior of nests with talcum powder, or forming casts with cement. Twelve nests were excavated and surveyed, with eight being marked with talcum powder and four cast with cement. The external and internal structure of the nests was highly variable. The largest and smallest nests had mound areas of 9.89 m(2) and 0.01 m(2) respectively. The number of chambers found ranged from I to 26, with maximum dimensions of between 6 and 70 cm. Chambers were found close to the soil surface (6 cm) down to a maximum depth of 3.75 m. In addition to chambers containing fungus garden, some chambers were found to be empty, filled with soil or filled with waste, the first time this has been recorded in a species of Acromyrmex. The nests of A. rugosus rugosus appear to be unusually complex for the genus, containing a diversity of irregular chambers and tunnels.

The influence of the scout upon the decision-making process of recruited workers in three Acromyrmex species (Formicidae : Attini)

We examined how the information communicated by a scout worker influences the plant species transported by recruited workers in Acromymex balzani, Acromyrmex rugosus, and Acromyrmex crassispinus, three species of leaf-cutting ant that have different substrate and habitat preferences. We verified that certain plant species were more likely to be transported than others and that recruitment occurs. We found that recruited workers were more likely to transport non-preferred plant species when they were recruited to these by scout workers. The results suggest that the scout worker can communicate information about plant identity to recruited workers, but that recruited workers integrate the information communicated with their own experience during the decision-making process. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Foraging Behavior and Subtask Hierarchical Structure in Acromyrmex spp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

This study considers the function and complexity of tasks during foraging of three Acromyrmex species. Foraging was classified as a team task composed of 2 or 3 processes: recruitment, selection, and collection. Each process was subdivided into different subtasks. Points were attributed to subtasks considering their hierarchical level to compare the complexity of foraging among species. Total scores obtained were 19 for A. balzani and 14 for A. crassispinus and A. rugosus, indicating different degrees of social complexity for grass-cutting and leaf-cutting ant species. Acromyrmex balzani, a grass-cutting ant species, shows a behavioral repertoire composed of more variable subtasks during foraging.

Ocorrência de formigas Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865, em alguns municípios do Brasil

It were collected species of Acromyrmex Mayr, 1865 in many brazilian cities from Santa Catarina, Paraná, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, Rondônia and Amapá states and in Paraguay and Uruguay, with the purpose to bring up-to-date their occurrence. Specimens collected on trips were identified at laboratory of Fca/Unesp/Botucatu-SP. It were recorded, for the first time, the occurrence of A. rugosus rugosus (F. Smith, 1858) in Paraná, Rondônia and Santa Catarina states; A. subterraneus subterraneus (Forel, 1893) in Amapá and Bahia; A. diasi Gonçalves, 1982 in Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná states; A. coronatus (Fabricius, 1804) in Paraná; A. balzani (Emery, 1890) in Amapá and A. subterranens brunneus (Forel, 1911) in Goiás.

Mutant alleles at the rugosus loci in pea affect seed moisture sorption isotherms and the relations between seed longevity and moisture content

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) mutant near-isogenic lines (RRrbrb, rrRbRb, rrrbrb) with lower starch but higher lipid contents, brought about by lesions in the starch biosynthetic pathway, had seed moisture sorption isotherms displaced below that of the wild type (RRRbRb). The negative logarithmic relationship between seed longevity and seed storage moisture content (%, f.wt basis), determined in hermetic storage at 65 degreesC, also differed: longevity in the mutant near-isogenic lines was poorer and less sensitive to moisture content than in the wild type (i.e. C-w was lower). The low-moisture-content limit (m(c)) to this relation also differed, being lower in the mutant near-isogenic lines (5.4-5.9%) than in the wild type (6.1%). In contrast, all four near-isogenic lines showed no difference (P >0.25) in the negative semilogarithmic relationship between equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) and seed longevity. It is concluded that the effect of these alleles at the r and rb loci on seed longevity. was largely indirect; a consequence of their effect on seed composition and hence on moisture sorption isotherms. However, this explanation could not be invoked at moisture contents below mc where differences in longevity remained substantial (RRRbRb double that of rrrbrb). Hence, these mutant alleles affected seed longevity directly at very low moisture contents.

Mutant alleles at the rugosus loci in pea affect seed moisture sorption isotherms and the relations between seed longevity and moisture content

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) mutant near-isogenic lines (RRrbrb, rrRbRb, rrrbrb) with lower starch but higher lipid contents, brought about by lesions in the starch biosynthetic pathway, had seed moisture sorption isotherms displaced below that of the wild type (RRRbRb). The negative logarithmic relationship between seed longevity and seed storage moisture content (%, f.wt basis), determined in hermetic storage at 65 °C, also differed: longevity in the mutant near-isogenic lines was poorer and less sensitive to moisture content than in the wild type (i.e. CW was lower). The low-moisture-content limit (mc) to this relation also differed, being lower in the mutant near-isogenic lines (5.4–5.9%) than in the wild type (6.1%). In contrast, all four near-isogenic lines showed no difference (P >0.25) in the negative semi-logarithmic relationship between equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) and seed longevity. It is concluded that the effect of these alleles at the r and rb loci on seed longevity was largely indirect; a consequence of their effect on seed composition and hence on moisture sorption isotherms. However, this explanation could not be invoked at moisture contents below mc where differences in longevity remained substantial (RRRbRb double that of rrrbrb). Hence, these mutant alleles affected seed longevity directly at very low moisture contents.

Geographic Distribution and Population Estimate of Leaf-cutting Ants of the Genus Acromyrmex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Southwestern Bahia

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Arrenurus rugosus n. sp.

von Albert Protz

Note préliminaire sur quatre espèces nouvelles d'Hapalocarcinidae, avec quelques remarques au sujet du Cryptochirus rugosus Edmonson

This note briefly describes four new species of Hapalocarcinidae: Cryptochirus tri, Troglocarcinus edmonsoni, Troglocarcinus sheni, Troglocarcinus stimpsoni

Differences in membrane acyl phospholipid composition between an endothermic mammal and an ectothermic reptile are not limited to any phospholipid class

This study examined questions concerning differences in the acyl composition of membrane phospholipids that have been linked to the faster rates of metabolic processes in endotherms versus ectotherms. In liver, kidney, heart and brain of the ectothermic reptile, Trachydosaurus rugosus, and the endothermic mammal, Rattus norvegicus, previous findings of fewer unsaturates but a greater unsaturation index (UI) in membranes of the mammal versus those of the reptile were confirmed. Moreover, the study showed that the distribution of phospholipid head-group classes was similar in the same tissues of the reptile and mammal and that the differences in acyl composition were present in all phospholipid classes analysed, suggesting a role for the physical over the chemical properties of membranes in determining the faster rates of metabolic processes in endotherms. The most common phosphatidylcholine (PC) molecules present in all tissues (except brain) of the reptile were 16:0/18:1, 16:0/18:2, 18:0/18:2, 18:1/18:1 and 18:1/18:2, whereas arachidonic acid (20:4), containing PCs 16:0/ 20: 4, 18: 0/ 20: 4, were the common molecules in the mammal. The most abundant phosphatidylethanolamines ( PE) used in the tissue of the reptile were 18:0/18:2, 18:0/20:4, 18:1/18:1, 18:1/18:2 and 18:1/20:4, compared to 16: 0/ 18: 2, 16: 0/ 20: 4, 16: 0/ 22: 6, 18: 0/ 20: 4, 18: 0/ 22: 6 and 18:1/20: 4 in the mammal. UI differences were primarily due to arachidonic acid found in both PC and PEs, whereas docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) was a lesser contributor mainly within PEs and essentially absent in the kidney. The phospholipid composition of brain was more similar in the reptile and mammal compared to those of other tissues.

中国急流牙甲族的系统学研究

急流牙甲族Sperchopsini属于鞘翅目Coleoptera牙甲科Hydrophilidae的水牙甲亚科Hydrophilinae，共包括五属，即水龟虫属 Hydrocassis、革牙甲属 Ametor、Sperchopsis、Anticura、Cylomissus，世界共计有25种，我国分布有2属18个种。 本文回顾了水甲虫、牙甲科以及急流牙甲族的研究简史；综述了水甲虫在分类学、保护生物学、形态学、遗传学、分子生物学等方面研究进展，总结了水甲虫与生态因子的关系以及水甲虫作为生态系统健康指示物的可行性。还简要介绍了昆虫分子系统学，以及细胞色素氧化酶亚基I（COI）和rDNA内部转录间隔区（ITS）在昆虫学研究中的应用。 通过对收集到的700余号急流牙甲族的标本观察和分类研究，发现了一新种（内蒙水龟甲Hydrocassis mongolica sp.nov.）。并且对已知全部种类重新作了描述，特别是长茎革牙甲 Ametor elongatus雄性外生殖器部分，首次对7个种类（长茎革牙甲 Ametor elongatus、粗革牙甲 Ametor scabrosus、帝水龟甲 Hydrocassis imperialis、伪舟水龟甲Hydrocassis pesudoscapha、条纹水龟甲Hydrocassis scapulata、舟水龟甲 Hydrocassi scapha、四川水龟甲Hydrocassis sichuana）的雌性个体进行了描述。编制了急流牙甲族的分属、分种检索表。 采用支序分类学的方法对中国急流牙甲族种类的系统发育关系进行探讨。结果显示革牙甲属内的A. latus、A. rudesculptus、A. rugosus 及A. scabrosus 构成单系（不包括A. elongates），支持皱革牙甲A. rugosus和A. latus属于革牙甲属。水龟虫属内H. anhuiensis、H. baoshanensis、H. lacustris、H. pseudoscapha、H. scaphoides、H. scapulata、H. sichuana、H. taiwana、H. uncinata、H. schillhammeri构成一个单系。水龟虫属包括两大类群，一类群包括H. anhuiensis、H. lacustris、H. scapulata、H. sichuana 、H. taiwana，另一类群包括H. baoshanensis、H. scaphoides、 H. schillhammeri 、H. uncinata。两类群的不同之处在于后一类群的阳基侧突上有一齿状凸起。 测序了H. scapulata、H. sichuana和H. mongolica雌雄各一个个体的COI和ITS2序列。全部的COI基因序列为828bp，编码275个氨基酸。H. scapulata的ITS2序列有446bp，H. sichuana的有456bp，H. mongolica的有455bp。用MEGA 3.1计算比对距离（pairwise distances）和构建邻近系统树。结果显示对于COI，种内的比对距离分别是0(H. scapulata)、0.008(H. mongolica)、0.004(H. sichuana)，种间的比对距离在0.024-0.045之间。对于ITS2，种内的比对距离分别为0.005(H. scapulata)、0(H. mongolica)、0.007(H. sichuana)，种间的比对距离在0.028-0.047之间。H. sichuana和新种间的比对距离在0.024-0.037(COI)和0.044(ITS2)。比对距离揭示出种内低于0.008，种间在0.024-1.078之间。因而，它们之间应该是种间关系而不是种内的关系。COI数据集和ITS2数据集所构建的系统树存在一定的差异，前者显示四川水龟甲和条纹水龟甲是姐妹种，后者显示新种和条纹水龟甲是姐妹种。总之，在内蒙古自治区发现的为一新的物种。

Hermit crabs perceive the extent of their virtual bodies

A flexible body image is required by animals if they are to adapt to body changes and move effectively within a structurally complex environment. Here, we show that terrestrial hermit crabs, Coenobita rugosus, which frequently change shells, can modify walking behaviour, dependent on the shape of the shell. Hermit crabs walked along a corridor that had alternating left and right corners; if it was narrow at the corner, crabs rotated their bodies to avoid the wall, indicating an awareness of environmental obstacles. This rotation increased when a plastic plate was attached to the shell. We suggest that the shell, when extended by the plate, becomes assimilated to the hermit crab's own body. While there are cases of a tool being assimilated with the body, our result is the first example of the habitat where an animal lives and/or carries being part of a virtual body. This journal is © 2012 The Royal Society.

Dispersion of Seeds of Tree Species by the Leaf-Cutting Ant Acromyrmex subterraneus molestans (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Vicosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Behavioural responses of workers towards worker-produced male larvae and queen-produced worker larvae in Acromyrmex subterraneus brunneus Forel, 1911 (Hym., Formicidae)

Leaf-cutting ant workers care for larvae with an elaborate behavioural repertoire to satisfy the needs of the offspring. In order to investigate worker discrimination ability in the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex subterraneus brunneus, we compared the behavioural responses of workers towards worker-produced male larvae and queen-produced worker larvae, including the following behavioural acts: licking the larval body, transporting larvae, feeding larvae with hyphae, scraping larval mouth parts, ingesting faecal fluid excreted by the larva, and inserting hyphae of the symbiontic fungus on the larval body. We verified that workers behaved differently depending on larval origin, i.e. licking the larval body, transporting larvae and inserting hyphae of the symbiontic fungus on the larval body. Observed differences denote the ability of workers in discriminating among larvae, probably because of their different individual needs.

Physical resistance as a criterion in the selection of foraging material by Acromyrmex subterraneus brunneus Forel, 1911 (Hym., Formicidae)

Leaf-cutting ants forage on a wide variety of plant species using the physical and chemical characteristics of the plants as a selection criterion. In order to determine the influence of the physical factor on the selection of foraging material, inert materials such as floral sponge, polystyrene, plastic and clay, which possess different degrees of physical resistance to cutting, were offered simultaneously to five Acromyrmex subterraneus brunneus colonies, and assessed 12 and 24 h after foraging. No substrate selectivity was observed during foraging. Physical resistance was used as a decision criterion for the incorporation or return of the foraged material. This fact suggests the existence of a second time of selection of the foraged material inside the colony during cultivation of the symbiontic fungus.